Art of shoemaking



Sept. 23, 1947. I w ms -r 2,427,985

ART OF SHOEMAKING Fiied Jan. 19, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

Fig. 4

I INVENTOR. PHIL/P WE/Nsrm' ATTORNEYS Sept. 23, 1947 P;,,WE|NSTAT 2,427,985

ART OF SI'IQEMAKING I Filed Jan. 19, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

- PHIL/P WE/NSTAT ATTORNEYS- Patented Sept. 23, 1947 UNITED STATES- OFFICE ART OF SHOEMAKING Philip.,Weins tat, Lynn, Mass,

Application January 19, 1943. ScrialNo.-472,869-* 2 Claims.

This-invention relates t o the manufacture of" shoes of the type. wherein the insole adjacent its marginal edge is provided with'a. plurality of spaoedelongated pairs of slots and the upper structure-is provided with'a plurality of spacedv pairsof marginal prongs for insertion through said slots.

The present application-is. a continuationin part of my prior application, Serial No. 410,800, filed September 15., 1941-,nowPatent No; 2,317, 870, granted April'273'1943; and is particularly directed to the method of producingsuch shoe.

The general ob jectof my invention is to sim-..

plify manufacturing procedure and reduce costs byeliminating many operations which require that the shoe be kept lasted during their performance By eliminating such operational reduce to the minimum the use of lasts, with resuit-ant saving in last expense.

In accordance with my invention, I fit-upper and insole forms to the sides and bottom of a last with the bottom: edge of Y the upper form abuttingthe insole form and defining-the bottom line of the last. I mark the fitted upper form with indicia representing the outline of the upper st-ructureand with marginal indicia spaced to" indicate the location of the prongs. I also markthe insole form with indicia spaced along said bottomline and representing the location straight edges define with each other the line of abutment of the forms when the upp r patterns are disposed as if fitted on the last. I then make an insole pattern of the same outline as the insole form but of slightly larger size so that it may be readily formed with slots spaced-as required by theindicia of the insole form.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation-of my upper form, be-

fore marking.

Fig.2 isa plan view'of my .insole form, before marking.

Fig. 3 is a side-elevation of .a shoe last .to the sideand bottom, respectively, of which the upper and insole forms shown in Figs. 1 and 2 have been temporarily tacked; such view further showing said formsasshavingbeen marked withcertain interrelated. indicia, for the subsequent. produce tionrof the: upper. and insole-patterns detailed-in Figsfl and 5, respectively.

Fig.4 shows the marked insole form of Fig. 3

removed from the last in readiness to be used as -.a "guide for the production: of the insole pattern detailed in: Fig; 5.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of. the slotted insole pattern produced from. the marked insole form of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a plamviewcof .a slotted insole of the platform'type out by: means of a die (not shown) and which-die was: made with the aid of the slotted insole-pattern detailed in. Figr5.

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of the marked upper form detailed in Fig. 3, removed .from the last;- said view further showing the application to. such marked upper form of an upper pattern made in accordance with the markings of the upper form; but; provided with excess marginal materialfor the formation of the pairs of spaced-marginal prongs shown in said view.

Fig.--8 is a-composite view showing pieces of upper stock cut by means of dies made with the aid" of theu-pper pattern detailed in Fig. '7.

Fig.9 is-a side elevation showing the pieces of upper stock detailed in Fi 8 assembled to the slotted insole of--Fig. 6, the upper structure and insole being disposed as if fitted on the last of Fig. 3, but without actually having been lasted on said last.

Fig. 10 is a transverse section throughFig. 9 but showing only one ofthe upper-pieces and indi cati-ng in-dotted=linesthe-prongs of the upper structureas having been folded upwardly against the underfaceofthe insole and cemented or otherwise anchored thereto.-

Fig; 11 is a similar transverse section showing thelastofFig. 3 ashav-ing been inserted withinthe assembly of-Fig'. 10 and an outsole as having been attached to said structure.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of thecompletedshoe-- withattached-outsole and heel, and

Fig. 13 is: a perspectiveview of amodified form orshoe in-which-the upper isa closedupper as distinguished ;from' the open upperillustrated in Y Referring: to Figrsl2; the shoe, therein. illus-- trated' is. ,ofthe. :open- .type, comprising zan-outsole 120...theel Z l:; insole 22, and an upper structure of: the sandal or: strap type'comprising a vamp andwbac,k:.,.; The: vampiconsists of-a plurality of. transverse straps 23 interlaced through the-.slotsofra longitudimalpstrapi 242 The back consists" of a curvedquarter- 251Wil3h :ankle strap 25; and

bucklepiece 2-1 secured to thesidesthereof.

Referri-ng t Fig.;13;, the shoe therein inns-1.

trated is of the closed upper type in which the vamp 28 is a single piece of material.

In either type of shoe, the marginal edge of the upper structure is formed to present a plurality of pairs of spaced prongs 29, the prongs of the several prong pairs being separated by notches 30, and the closed ends 3| oi said notches extending as straight edges of substantial length.

The insole 22 is provided with a plurality of pairs of spaced slots 32 inset a slight distance from its marginal edge, the slots of each slot pair being spaced apart a distance substantially corresponding to the width of said notches 33 at their closed ends.

The prongs 23 are of a length to extend through said slots 32 and to be folded against and anchored to the bottom surface of the insole 22 when the insole and upper structure are assembled to each other. When the prongs are drawn tautly through the slots the straight edge closed ends 3| of the notches 30 are disposed at such angles to the transverse axis of the upper as to flatly abut the upper surface of the insole at the line of contact between said straight edges and the insole and thereby correctly position the upper structure with reference to the insole (see Fig. 9) as if fitted on a last.

In producing these shoes and shoes of like structure and design, I proceed as follows:

Starting with the forms 33 and 34 (Figs. 1. and 2) which are of suitable material, as cardboard, paper or the like, and which are usually supplied by the last and insole manufacturers, I first temporarily tack said forms, as at 35, 36, to a selected last 37.

On the upper form 33 which fits against one side of the last I mark, with pencil or the like, suitable indicia 38 which I later use for the preparation of an upper pattern.

On the insole form 34, which is at least as large as the projected bottom face of the last I also mark by means of pencil or the like, suitable indicia 39 which I later use for the preparation of an insole pattern. The indicia 39 are marked on the margins of the form 34 to register with the indicia 38 in such a way that they are generally arranged in spaced pairs and which may conveniently be distinguished by indicia 39'.

The markings 38 and 39 are interrelated and enable me to produce from the forms 33 and 34 when removed from the last, upper and insole patterns, having spaced prongs and spaced slots corresponding to the markings in a manner and for the purposes presently to be described.

While the insole form 34 may, in fact, be an insole pattern, it is generally more convenient to utilize an insole form, as above described, on which the indicia 39, 39 is marked. The insole pattern 40, detailed in Fig. 5, may be made of any suitable material, such as cardboard or the like, as by superposing the insole form 34 on the pattern 40. The insole pattern 43 is sufiiciently larger than the insole form but is of similar outline. It is thus easy to trace on. the insole pattern 40 from the indicia 39, 39' of the superimposed insole form 34, the location of a series of pairs of spaced slots 4|. The slots 4| are then cut and these define the outline desired of the completed upper structure when assembled on an insole member made from the insole pattern 40.

After I cut the slots M in the insole pattern 40, I use the slotted insole pattern in the production of a die (not shown) by means of which the slotted insole 22 of Fig. 6 is thereafter made.

Where, as here shown, the upper face of the insole 22 is covered by a decorative covering 22' which extends around the margin of the insole and is cemented or otherwise secured to the underface of the insole (see Fig. 6), this covering is slotted simultaneously with the slotting of the insole and by the same die. Obviously, however, the decorative covering 22 may be omitted, if desired.

In producing the upper patterns 42 disclosed in Fig. 7, I utilize the indicia 38 on the upper form 33 as a guide, once said upper form has been removed from the last.

As shown in Fig. 3, the upper form 33 has indicia or markings 38 thereon showing the outline of an assembled upper of the strap or sandal type. These markings serve as guides in tracing, on the stock from which the patterns are to be cut, the outline of each of the parts of the indicated assembled upper and where such patterns are to be slit. After the patterns are out, they may be checked for accuracy against the upper form. For convenience, it may be assumed that I have fitted an upper form 33 to each side of the last and that the two upper forms, marked with indicia 38 are each used in establishing the upper patterns.

To the ends of the upper patterns, however, I add as by cementing or otherwise, excess mar ginal stock indicated generally at 43 in Fig. 7 and notch such excess marginal stock as at 44 to provide spaced pairs of prongs 45. As best appears in Fig. 7, the closed ends 46 of the notches 44 extend as straight edges of substantial length. These straight edges 46 lie at slightly different angles to each other in the several different pieces of stock constituting the pattern assembly.

The several pieces constituting the upper structure are cut by means of dies made by use of the upper pattern 42. Such pieces of upper material are detailed in Fig. 8 and as heretofore described are the pieces 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27.

The next step in my method is to assemble the several parts of the upper structure to each other and to the insole 22. This is illustrated in Fig. 9 wherein the prongs 29 of the upper structure have been inserted through the slots 32 of the insole 22 and drawn downwardly until the closed ends 3i of the notches separating the pairs of prongs flatly abut the upper face of the insole. When this is done the upper structure will be fitted to the insole as if disposed upon a last although actually no last was used.

The projecting ends of the prongs 29 are next turned inwardly as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 10 and cemented or otherwise anchored to the underface of the insole, and the structure is now ready to receive the outsole 20 and heel 2|.

Before these are attached I insert the last 31 of Fig. 3 into the upper structure (see Fig. 11) and then cement or otherwise attach the outsole to the insole 22, and heel, thereby completing the shoe.

Although I have described a method in which only one upper form 33 is used, I may, if desired, use an upper form for each side of the last.

If desired, the upper pattern and the insole pattern may be assembled to each other for the purpose of confirming the measurements before constructing by their use the cut-out dies for the production of the actual upper parts and the insole.

By reference to Fig. '7, it will be noted that the straight edges 46 formed by the closed ends of the notches 44 of the upper pattern 42 register exactly with the margin of the upper form 33 when shaped as if fitted to the last. This enables me to produce, without using a last, upper and insole parts which will be accurately shaped as if fitted on a last, disregarding any difference in thickness between the pattern material and the stock from which the upper parts are made, commonly called lasting allowance.

It will be seen that the closed ends 46 of the notches M define the bottom edge of the last when the pattern 42 is disposed as if fitted on the last and that when said notches are disposed to register with the bottom outline of the last, as defined by the slots 32 of the insole 22, the upper structure is disposed as if lasted on the last. As the upper and insole structures are made by dies from the upper and insole patterns Q2 and 40, respectively, the straight edges 3| ensure the correct posture of the upper structure when the prongs 29 thereof are drawn tautly through the slots 32 of the insole 22 to bring such straight edges 3| into full contact with the upper form of the insole 22 intermediate the slots 32 to thereby produce a neat and tight fitting joint.

Likewise, while I have shown a separate insole pattern 40, it is obvious that by using an insole form 34 of equivalent area to pattern M, I may cut the slots 4| directly in the marginal edge of such a form.

Various other modifications in design and procedure may obviously be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In the method of making patterns for the production of uppers and insoles for shoes of the type in which the insoles are slotted to receive marginal prongs on the uppers, the steps which 6 comprise fitting an upper form and an insole form to the side and to the bottom, respectively, of a last in such relation that marginal portions of the upper form abut the insole form thereby defining the bottom line of the last, marking the fitted upper form with spaced indicia representing the desired location of said prongs, marking the fitted insole form along the thus established bottom line of the last with spaced indicia corresponding to certain of the indicia marked on the upper form to represent the desired location of said slate, making an upper pattern by the use of the upper form but including spaced pairs of marginally extending prongs located as required by the indicia on said upper form and presenting between each prong pair a straight edge of substantial length which straight edges define with each other a line corresponding to the line of abutment of said forms when the upper pattern is disposed as if fitted on the last, making from said insole form an insole pattern characterized in that it contains a, plurality of pairs of marginal slots which are spaced from each other as required by the indicia on the insole form.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the insole form is superposed on an insole pattern corresponding in outline to but of greater area than said insole form whereby to provide a marginal area in which the spaced pairs of slots are made.

PHILIP WEIN STAT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,975,655 Fraher et al Oct. 2, 1934 2,317,870 Weinstat Apr. 2'7, 1943 

